Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to instruct Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, and National Broadcasting Commission to urgently withdraw the threat to revoke the licenses of broadcast stations and shut them down over their coverage of elections and post-election matters.
SERAP Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare, explained that the last warning and threat by the NBC if not immediately withdrawn would limit freedom of expression and restrict coverage of important issues by broadcast stations.
SERAP said the Nigerian Constitution and human rights treaties imposed legal obligations on the FG to refrain from imposing restrictions which were not consistent with human rights requirements, including on discussion of political and election-related issues.
The NBC had threatened to revoke the licenses of broadcast stations and shut them down if they continue to allow unpatriotic individuals to permit subversive, inciting, and negative conversations on their platforms particularly in the post-2023 presidential election.”
